Pittman reacts to decision‘Innocent mistake’ causes NFL suspension

MEGAN MANFULL, Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle |
December 4, 2008

The NFL suspended Texans long snapper Bryan Pittman for four games without pay on Tuesday for violating the league's anti-doping policy. Also suspended were New Orleans Saints football players Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister, Will Smith and Minnesota Vikings football players Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. All six were punished for using a diuretic, which can serve as a masking agent for steroids.

Texans long snapper Bryan Pittman went to Reliant Stadium early Wednesday to clean a few items out of his locker. By late afternoon, he was still struggling to accept the fact that he is no longer allowed around the facilities during his four-game suspension for violating the league’s steroid policy.

Pittman did not test positive for the much talked about StarCaps diuretic, but he did test positive for another diuretic that was on the league’s banned list. He was suspended, along with five other players, for violating “a long-standing provision of the policy relating to the use of diuretics and water pills, which serve as masking agents for steroids and are potentially dangerous to the health of players.”

“Mostly, I’m frustrated that I’m being punished for something that was an innocent mistake,” Pittman said. “I’m being punished for taking a performance decreaser if anything. And I’m frustrated with myself for even having to take a water pill to make my weight.”

Pittman said he has exhausted all of his options and will comply with the suspension and move forward. He can be reinstated with the team on Dec. 29, the day after the regular season ends.

Pittman said he is not worried about his reputation going forward.

“If I was guilty of using performance enhancing supplements or steroids, I’d be worried about it,” said Pittman. “But it was proven in my appeal that no steroids or anything illegal was detected in my specimen and it was also not diluted by the (diuretic).

“I’m just heartbroken it’s come down to this because of something as petty as a water pill.”